Written In The Stars
by wackyjacqs
Summary: Sometimes, things are just written in the stars. A series of vignettes following Sam and Jack's relationship from Season 1 through to Season 8… and possibly beyond. There will be a number of chapters to this, but each one can fully stand alone.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Firstly, thank you to everyone who took the time to review Seeing Double. That story was, by far, the most nerve-wracking and difficult one I've attempted to date. I was really nervous posting, but I received so many lovely messages last night, that I was really overwhelmed and _may_ have started crying at my computer. Thank you, your support and kindness means more to me than I will ever be able to say. :)

For this new series, the idea came to me a few weeks ago when I was stuck in traffic and the CD in my car was on repeat. This was originally meant to be my contribution for Ship Day 2013, but it turned out quite a bit longer than I expected.

Aside from my (potentially unhealthy) obsession with Stargate, I'm also a huge Lady Antebellum fan. Seriously, their music is amazing! Anyway, as I continued listening to the album, I realized just how many of the songs capture Sam and Jack's relationship, so I thought it might be fun to try and create stories around some of the lyrics. I don't know if I'd class them as song fics though, as I know that can put some readers off.

This series will run from Season 1 through to Season 8, and possibly beyond, so there will be quite a few chapters to this, but each one can standalone as they relate to a different episode.

Thanks to Niss Trah for all her help and patience, as always, and to Aoibhi who patiently listens to me talk/fangirl/obsess about Stargate ALL THE TIME! :)

* * *

**Written In The Stars**

* * *

_"Well, this heart of mine_

_Has been hardened like a stone,_

_It might take some time_

_To get back what is gone."_

_- _Love Don't Live Here Anymore, Lady Antebellum

* * *

**Chapter 1 (Children of the Gods)**

* * *

Jack O'Neill flopped down onto the small cot that supposedly passed for a bed in his guest quarters. He had made the decision to stay on the base, rather than go home, as he wanted to profile his 'team' one more time ahead of their mission to Abydos.

It wasn't that Jack didn't trust them; he just wanted to make sure they were up to the job. He had faced Ra a year ago. He'd witnessed first hand the weapons, the army, the sheer support the alien had amassed, but his gut was telling him that whatever was happening in the galaxy right now, it was going to be an even greater threat to the planet.

It was up to Jack to make sure that Earth didn't fall victim. He felt responsible for bringing this new terror; he was the one who made the decision to kill Ra - and go against his original mission plan.

A year ago, he had been prepared to end it all. That was the reason he had accepted the Abydos mission in the first place; his son had accidently shot himself with his gun, and his wife was barely speaking to him. Jack knew it wouldn't be long until she left or filed for divorce, and Jack couldn't blame her, but he thought it would be easier for everyone if he just... left.

Now, though, it was different. Okay, so he was divorced and not a day went by when he didn't think of Charlie, but he realized that he actually did have something to live for. He credited Daniel, Skaara and the people of Abydos for saving his life; the least he could do was honor them by doing it.

They were also the reason he had agreed to return to active duty and go offworld. Just because he had killed Ra and destroyed his ship, didn't mean others had to pay the price.

It didn't stop him from worrying though. Some nights, if he closed his eyes and concentrated hard enough, he'd swear he could still feel the paralyzing effects of the torture methods he'd experienced at the hands of Ra. Repressing a shudder, Jack sighed and ran a hand over his face. Aside from himself, Kawalsky and Ferretti, there was no one on the team that had any idea of the danger they were about to face, and that worried him.

Unwittingly, his concerns fell on one member in particular.

Captain Samantha Carter.

Jack had taken another look at her records after that oh-so-memorable briefing earlier, and was surprised to see the young officer had indeed notched up an impressive amount of hours in enemy airspace. She was also good with a weapon, at least Jack assumed she was, she wouldn't be allowed anywhere near the field otherwise. However, her main reason for being assigned to his team was because she was the 'foremost expert on the Stargate', and unless she was going to overpower the enemy by confusing it with her technobabble, Jack saw no reason for her to be there. He had no time to babysit a scientist, for cryin' out loud!

Jack rolled his eyes, shifting slightly from his position on the cot. On the other hand, maybe babysitting the Captain wasn't a bad thing.

There was something about her that intrigued him. She was a model officer, incredibly smart and gorgeous too. She also had a little bit of attitude, and while any Commanding Officer would have been well within their rights to tear her down for her insubordination earlier, Jack was secretly impressed.

A grin tugged at the corner of the Colonel's mouth. Yes, his little Captain had spunk - he liked it.

He also, probably unwisely, wanted to take her up on her armwrestling challenge, but decided not to dwell on the exact reasons as to why that might be.

Shaking his head, he settled his head back against the pillow and sighed.

He had no idea what tomorrow might bring, or the days ahead, but as he closed his eyes, his mind was filled with images of wrestling with Captain Carter, and for the first time in more than a year, Jack's heart felt a little lighter.

* * *

**A/N: **Should I continue with the idea... maybe it sounded better in my head? Let me know! :)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **I'm so sorry for the wait! Real life has been quite demanding lately, and I also had a serious case of writer's block.. I still do, but I'm trying to work through it!

Thank you to everyone to reviewed the first chapter. I was so overwhelmed by your kind words and encouragement to continue; so, without further ado.. enjoy!

Thanks to Niss Trah for her beta work, and to Agrainne24 for her never-ending support.

**A/N 2: **This chapter is a little missing scene for Cold Lazarus. Set after 'Charlie' returns to the planet.

* * *

_"It's so like you just to show up at my door_

_And act like nothin's happened._

_You think I'll sweep my heart up off the floor_

_And give it to you like so many times before,_

_You're talking to a stranger_

_I'm not that girl anymore."_

- Long Gone, Lady Antebellum

* * *

**Chapter 2 (Cold Lazarus)**

* * *

Jack's fingers drummed an unintelligible tune against the steering wheel. He knew it was because he was nervous. Hell, _terrified_ was probably more accurate.

It had been fourteen months since he had last been here. Fourteen months, and everything still looked the same. The well-loved house stood tall at the far end of the street, the truck parked in the drive, a children's bicycle resting against the railings…

As Jack focused on the bicycle, however, he knew that while everything looked the same, it was different. The house was no longer a home. It was missing a family, and at the center of that family should have been a little boy; one that loved to cycle up and down the street, laugh and have fun.

Taking a deep breath, his fingers tightened around the wheel as feelings of guilt and loss tightened around his heart.

He wanted nothing more than to switch the engine on and drive home, where he could drown his sorrows. But he couldn't, at least, not yet. He still had something he needed to do.

He hadn't even thought through the idea rationally. He vaguely remembered talking to Captain Carter earlier that morning, before quickly leaving the mountain and ending up… here.

Jack let his head fall back against the headrest and closed his eyes.

* * *

_**Earlier that day…**_

_"Feeling of déjà vu, Sir?"_

_The Colonel looked up in confusion as his Second-in-Command entered the locker room, a small smile on her face. "Hmm?"_

_"The last time, we… Ah," she said, her smile fading. "The last time I was here, you – the other you – was sitting… there," she trailed off awkwardly, seeing he was no longer paying attention._

_Sam frowned slightly as she watched the Colonel return his attention back to the battered metal tin resting on his lap. Biting her bottom lip, she wondered if she should say anything. It was still very early days for the Program and she was still unsure of her place within the team and with her Commanding Officer. She wasn't heartless though, and she remembered the look on the Colonel's face when he came face to face with 'Charlie'._

_She took a step closer to the bench. The Colonel had his back to her, but she saw his body tense just ever-so-slightly when she spoke._

_"I'm sorry, Sir."_

_When she didn't receive a response, she carefully continued._

_"Daniel told me what happened to your son. I didn't press him for information, I just… When the other you was looking through the box, he wasn't very talkative, and when I mentioned it to Daniel afterwards, he…"_

_"Carter," Jack cut in quietly. "It's okay."_

_She snapped her mouth closed and nodded, only to realize the Colonel couldn't see her. Glancing around, she grimaced, not quite knowing what to do; thankfully, she was saved when her companion turned around, his expression unreadable._

_"You would have found out sooner or later, I guess."_

_A heavy silence settled between them and Sam found herself moving closer, before perching on the bench beside her CO._

_"My mom died when I was twelve," she admitted quietly. She was staring intently at her boots; she didn't notice the look of surprise, then sympathy, pass through the Colonel's eyes._

_"It was hard – still is at times," she added with a small, sad smile, "But… it was an accident."_

_She turned her head to see the Colonel watching her intently. Subconsciously holding her breath, Sam forced herself not to look away. It took a few seconds, but slowly, she saw something change in his expression; it wasn't much, but it was enough to let her know he'd understood what she hadn't said._

_The young Captain understood the pain, the loss… the questions that would never be answered._

_"How did you move on?" came the soft voice of the man sitting to Sam's right._

_"I didn't," she shrugged. "At least, not for a long time, but when I finally faced the issue… that she wasn't coming back…"_

_She trailed off, a wistful expression on her face before she glanced at the Colonel once again**. **_

_"It got a little easier each day. As strange as that may sound," she said with a slight chuckle._

_"I'm sorry too, Sam," he eventually replied and she gave him a soft, grateful smile._

_The two officers fell into silence and Sam let her gaze fall to the ground, while Jack's remained focused on her. Their conversation had been short, and stifled, but the Colonel felt like it had brought him a little closer to his Captain. He chose to put it down to building and strengthening team relations – they had only been working together for a few weeks after all – but in those few minutes she had spent with him, he felt like he could finally start to move on from Charlie's death. He had already started, but now he realized he just needed that last bit of closure._

_Straightening, he closed the lid of the cigar box and stood. He placed it back inside his locker, grabbed his jacket and closed the door. When he turned back around, Sam was also standing, watching him._

_"Thanks, Carter," he said honestly._

_"You're welcome, Sir. Likewise."_

_He nodded slowly, and Sam instinctively knew their conversation was at an end. She rocked back on her heels and offered the Colonel one final smile._

_"Have a good day, Sir," she said, before turning and leaving him staring after her._

_Jack waited until she had disappeared out of sight, before letting out a breath._

_He was confused. Somehow, Captain Samantha Carter had managed to sneak past all his defenses and get him to talk, and not just about anything, but about his past._

_No one had ever been able to do that before, and the thought unnerved Jack, but probably not as much as it should._

_Shaking his head, he chose not to dwell on the reasons as to why that was, but realized that he would have stay on his toes whenever she was around. With that little reminder, he threw his jacket over his shoulder and made his way out of the locker room._

* * *

Slowly, Jack opened his eyes and glanced towards the house once more. Making a decision, he pulled the keys from the ignition and jumped out of the truck. He was halfway across the front yard before he could talk himself out of it, and by the time he'd knocked on the front door, he knew he was doing the right thing. It felt like hours before someone answered the door.

"Hey Sara," Jack mumbled, trying not to notice the shocked look on his ex-wife's face as she stood half-hidden behind the door.

"Jack! I... What are you doing here? I… didn't think I'd see you again."

She let her sentence hang between them, and Jack gave a wry grin.

"Yeah. Neither did I."

At Sara's frown, he added, "Can I come in?"

* * *

Jack smiled his thanks as a cup of coffee entered his field of vision. He waited until Sara was sitting on the adjacent armchair before he spoke.

"How's the hand?"

"Oh. It's fine," Sara replied.

The bandage had been removed and the burns she'd received from 'Jack' had almost fully healed – if she was lucky, there wouldn't even be a scar – but any time she thought about the incident, she'd swear she could feel the pain as intense as ever. She subconsciously cradled her hand.

"I'm sorry... I never wanted you to get hurt."

Sara knew that with her entire heart, but she still had no idea what had happened at the hospital.

"It wasn't your fault," she answered carefully.

She watched her ex's features harden at her answer and she frowned.

"Jack?"

The Colonel leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. When he spoke, he seemed to be berating himself, rather than talking to his companion.

"I should have stopped him."

Sara took a sip of her coffee, studying Jack over the rim of the mug. "What happened to him? Whoever he was?"

It was meant to be a general statement, but it came out like a question. Jack sighed.

"Look, Sara –"

He was cut off by her resigned tone. "I know. It's classified, right?"

"Yeah."

"I thought you left all that behind?"

"I did. Just couldn't stay away," he answered dryly.

"You mean they wouldn't let you stay away."

"No."

His honesty surprised the woman beside him, because while he wasn't being overly talkative, he had already been more open with her in these last few minutes, than he had been throughout the last few months of their marriage. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes when Sara noticed the muscles twitching in Jack's jaw. She bit back a smile; usually that was a sign that something was bothering him, and as strange as it sounded, there was a part of her that had missed seeing it.

A few more minutes passed quietly and she could take it no longer.

"What are you doing here, Jack?"

His eyes flew to hers for a second before returning to his cup of coffee.

"I mean, it's not that I'm not glad to see you, but… I thought we said all we needed to a few days ago," she added uneasily when he hadn't spoken.

"Technically, _I_ didn't say anything," Jack answered slowly.

Sara snapped her mouth shut at his answer. "Oh."

Her expression momentarily cleared when she realized he was referring to the 'other' Jack, but it was quickly replaced by confusion. She could feel the beginnings of a headache starting and placed her fingertips softly to her temple. She really didn't want to know what the Air Force deemed to be 'classified' anymore.

A soft voice broke through her thoughts.

"Remember when I said I wanted to hear all about it?"

She studied him for a second, before remembering their brief conversation at the hospital. She nodded in response, but then realized Jack was still studying his cup of coffee.

"Do you want to hear about it now?"

He pursed his lips, before straightening in his seat.

"Yeah," he whispered, finally meeting her gaze.

* * *

Jack grimaced as Sara relayed her final conversation with the imposter. Running a hand over his face, he wasn't quite sure what to say. He did love the woman sitting before him and a part of him always would. Even when he'd said they were the greatest, he'd meant every word; but things had changed between them over the last year and he wasn't quite sure if agreed with his duplicate's wish of reconciliation.

An awkward silence fell between them. Fortunately for Jack, his ex-wife saved him from having to speak first.

"I know you've never been one for talking, but… I was never angry with you, Jack. I know you blamed yourself for Charlie –"

She stopped abruptly, overwhelmed with fresh grief for her lost son. Her eyes were closed as she continued quietly.

"It was an accident. No matter what, you can't change that."

Sara could still see the doubt and blame swirling dangerously in those chocolate brown eyes.

"It was still my gun," he retorted sharply, standing from his seat.

"And Charlie knew he was not to touch it. We told him so many times, Jack!" She took a deep breath as her voice started to rise. "If you'd just talked to me –"

She shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

"You're right," Jack said after a beat, so quiet Sara almost missed it. "And I'm sorry for pushing you away, but… my job was starting to come between us, and I just thought… after Charlie… it was one tribulation too many for us."

He waited for Sara to shout or scream at him, but he was surprised when she spoke softly.

"Shouldn't that have been our decision?"

Jack turned slowly to face his former partner as she continued to talk.

"I know you'll always blame yourself, but you need to let that go, Jack."

"I can't," he said desperately, and Sara's eyes filled with tears.

"You can. You've already started," she stated, watching him closely.

"What?"

"You're a different man than you were a year ago, Jack. Hell, you're a different man to the one I married," she admitted with a short laugh.

When he continued to look at her in bewilderment, she shrugged.

"You're standing here talking to me. Okay –" she said holding her hands up defensively, "You still suck at it… but you're talking. You're not holed up in your house, you're back with the Air Force… I can see life in your eyes, Jack," she whispered quietly, coming to stand just inches from him.

"Sara –" he whispered back.

"I don't know what this 'Stargate' thing is – and I don't want to know," she cut in, "but whatever it is you and your team are doing… it's good for you."

"I want to tell you. Really," he added when Sara raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "As soon as I can…"

"I know," she smiled.

The tension previously in the room seemed to disappear and they both realized how close they were now standing. Jack cleared his throat quietly.

"Uh…"

He frowned when Sara started to smirk.

"What's so funny?"

"You forget that I know you. You're totally panicking right now."

"No, I'm not," he shot back, just a little too quickly, causing Sara to smirk even harder. "Okay, so maybe a little," he eventually conceded.

He seemed to realize how that sounded. "I mean, you… we… ah… crap," he muttered, running a hand across the back of his neck.

Slowly, Sara reached out to take his hand. She let their entwined fingers fall by their sides.

"I will always love you, Jack - "

" - But?" he interjected when she hesitated.

"But… things are different now."

"And you're okay with that?" he asked carefully.

She considered his question for a few moments, studying his face as she wondered what to say.

"No one should have to go through what we did," she started, "but maybe this is the way things are supposed to be."

"Well, it sucks."

"Yeah, it does," she admitted. "But life isn't always fair."

"I will always miss Charlie," she added. "And yes, there are days when I want nothing more than to see him running across the yard, or hear his little laugh filling the house," she trailed off, swallowing hard against the lump in her throat. "But I know he's always with me. Here," she said, lifting their entwined hands and placing them across Jack's heart.

"And that, is what helps me move on each day," she finished, pulling her hand gently from under his.

"C'mere," Jack whispered, pulling her into a hug. "You know I love you," he mumbled into her hair.

He felt her nod in response, moments before she pulled back to look at his face.

"You're a good man, Jack."

The sound of the front door opening made him jump back from Sara. He frowned in confusion, and when Mike walked through the door, he let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.

Mike looked from Sara to Jack and back again. "Am I interrupting something?" he asked, eyeing the other man warily.

"No," Sara answered. "Jack was just –"

"Leaving," the man himself cut in. "It was good to see you again, Sara," he added, gesturing with his head towards the front door.

"I'll see you out," she smiled.

"Mike," Jack acknowledged.

"Jack."

The two men silently observed each other for a few moments, when Mike spoke. "Take care of yourself son."

Jack took his extended hand, before he made his way to the front door, Sara close behind.

"Will you be okay?" she asked when he turned around.

He thought over his answer. "I will be. What about you?" he added after a beat.

"I'll be just fine," she answered with a genuine smile.

Nodding, Jack turned and opened the door. He had just stepped out onto the porch when Sara's question made his stop.

"Does your team know you're here?"

The Colonel shook his head.

"You need to start trusting them."

"I do."

"Okay," Sara conceded with a sigh. "Then you need to start letting them in. Don't shut them out of your life, Jack."

"They seem nice," she pushed when he didn't say anything.

"Yeah. They're good guys."

"And girl," Sara grinned as she joined him on the porch.

"Yeah," he agreed, running a hand across the back of his neck.

"Captain Carter seemed very nice."

His eyes snapped to his ex's and he tried to ignore the thoughtful look he saw there.

"She's…" he trailed off, not quite knowing how to finish the sentence without getting himself into trouble.

" - Pretty."

" - Young. I was going to say young," Jack defended, causing Sara to laugh.

"I bet she keeps you on your toes."

"Oh, you have no idea," Jack said, sighing dramatically.

Their amusement slowly dwindled away.

"Can you promise me something, Jack?"

At a nod of his head, she continued. "You deserve to be happy."

"So do you," he replied quietly.

She smiled softly. "Trust your instincts; they've never led you wrong before."

Jack frowned in confusion at Sara's words, but before he could ask what she meant, she had leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"Your team is your family, Jack. Make sure you always come home to them."

She let her arms fall to her side and watched as her ex-husband made his way back to his truck. When he reached the vehicle, he turned around and gave her a lopsided grin and sloppy salute. She smiled, knowing Jack O'Neill would be just fine.

* * *

**TBC…**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favourites! :)

Tag for S1, Singularity. Set shortly after the episode ends, when SG-1 are still at the park with Cassie.

* * *

_"Through my tinted window I see,  
A little girl, red rust minivan,  
She's got chocolate on her face,  
Got little hands and she waves at me…  
And I see a light, a little hope in a little girl,  
Well, hello world."  
_- Hello World, Lady Antebellum

* * *

**Chapter 3 (Singularity)**

* * *

Jack leaned against his SUV and slipped a pair of shades over his eyes. Crossing his arms across his chest, he rested one foot on the bumper guard and observed the scene in front of him with a small smile.

It was Cassie – and Teal'c's – first excursion into the Springs, so the team had decided to keep it simple by taking both of their resident aliens to the local park. Almost instantly, the swings had captured the little girl's attention; but after an hour of taking it in turns to push her, they'd eventually had to lure her away with an ice cream.

It seemed a good idea at the time, but apparently ice cream – and chocolate – were not commonly found on Hanka, so the results of Cassie's unexpected sugar rush were… well, _unexpected_, to say the least.

However, Jack was now exhausted from chasing her around the park, which was why he was now taking a breather and leaving Cassie in the capable hands of his teammates. As he watched a giggling Cassie – and her new pet dog – run circles around Teal'c, he was hit with a pang of sadness as he remembered the times he'd visited the park with Charlie. His little boy had always loved the swings too.

A playful squeal, followed by more laughter, drew his attention before he could get carried away with his thoughts. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he watched Daniel trip over his own feet, allowing Cassie to dart away from him and run straight into Sam's arms.

The Colonel then watched mesmerized as his Captain lifted the little girl into the air and spun her around in circles, causing more delighted shrieks to echo around the play area. A few seconds later, he saw Cassie fall to the ground, with Carter following a second later. He immediately straightened and went to move to see if they were okay, when he saw Sam's shoulders shake moments before her laughter filled the air.

Jack froze. He'd never heard Carter laugh like that before… and he quickly decided he liked it. Probably more than he should.

However, speaking of Carter… the Colonel let out a sigh and ran a hand along the back of his neck.

They hadn't really been on speaking terms since she had disobeyed his orders and made the decision to stay with Cassandra; and the moment she'd returned to the surface, he'd pulled Carter aside and let her know how angry and disappointed he had been.

Obviously, with hindsight, she had made the right call, but that hadn't stopped the terror coursing through him when she said she was staying.

He had tried to get her to come back, kept the lines of communication open; he'd even addressed her as 'Sam' before he could stop himself, but when he received no response, he had panicked.

It felt like hours and he had been on the verge of going down to the bunker himself to find his teammate when her teary voice travelled over the intercom. Jack felt his knees almost give out as relief flooded through him.

His relief soon turned to anger though, leaving the two officers in their current predicament and it left him feeling strangely guilty. As a result, the thought of apologizing briefly entered the Colonel's mind, even though Sam had still defied his orders. Scratching idly at his neck, Jack decided he needed to do _something_ - Carter was still a young and potentially naive officer at the end of the day - so he felt it was up to him to offer an olive branch.

If he knew her as well as he thought, she was probably beating herself up about the whole incident enough for the both of them anyway.

Yes, he wouldn't apologize per se… but he'd make it up to her soon.

Leaning further against his truck, Jack allowed his gaze to drift back out towards Cassie, just as she looked in his direction. He let out a chuckle as one small, chocolate-covered hand waved at him. He waved back, laughing again, when he saw the remnants of melted chocolate around her mouth as well.

Janet was _so_ going to make him pay at his next physical.

The Colonel's laughter stopped abruptly however as he watched Cassie turn and fling her arms around Sam's neck as she planted a kiss on her cheek. He suddenly found it hard to breathe at the girl's innocence and affection, and even from his position at the truck, he could see Carter was just as surprised at the simple gesture. If he looked even closer, he'd swear he could see those blue eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Sam's eyes seemed to meet his from across the way and he swallowed hard as a range of emotions swirled inside him when she offered him a small smile.

Without giving it a second thought, Jack pushed himself off the truck and slowly made his way towards the two women before him. He was thankful his eyes were hidden behind his shades because he wasn't sure if he would be able to hide the feelings he was experiencing.

From going to having no women, to now having two beautiful ladies in his life, the Colonel glanced to the sky and silently thanked his lucky stars.

At that moment, Jack knew that as long as they were both in his life, his world would have a little hope.

**TBC…  
**


End file.
